1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to mortise and tenon joints, and more particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for constructing a dovetail tenon to fit a particular dovetail mortise.
2. Background
The dovetail mortise and tenon joint, also known as a diverging mortise and tenon joint, is a particularly desirable joint for perpendicularly joining one member along the length of another. However, because of the close tolerances necessary to construct this joint, it is seldomly used. When it is used, it is most often employed by the fine craftsmen woodworker to construct what is known as a sliding dovetail joint. A sliding dovetail joint allows the wood to expand or contract without the wood cracking and sacrificing either the integrity of the joint or the aesthetics of the end product.
FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a typical dovetail mortise and tenon construction. The dovetail mortise or groove 2 has a pair of opposing shoulders 3 defining the mortise opening. A pair of walls 4 diverge downwardly from each shoulder edge. Each wall 4 terminates at the base 5 of mortise 2 forming an acute interior angle with respect to base 5.
The current method for constructing a dovetail mortise and tenon joint, is to first route or cut the dovetail mortise and then construct the dovetail tenon to fit the mortise. The dovetail tenon is cut using an iterative process, cutting away a little material at a time from each side of the tenon until the tenon closely fits the mortise. It is critical to match the depth, width and pitch of the tenon to the mortise. In the case of a fixed dovetail mortise and tenon joint, a tight friction fit between the tenon and mortise is desired. In the case of a sliding dovetail joint, the tenon can be lightly sanded to allow the tenon to slide in the mortise along the length of the mortise but not wobble in the lateral direction.
Unfortunately, for the common weekend woodworker, this joint construction is simply too complex and time consuming to use, at least employing current construction methods. Even for the experienced craftsman, this joint is time consuming to produce and consequently used only when it is necessary, or when using complex and expensive milling machines. What is needed is an efficient method for constructing a precise mortise and tenon joint without having to employ a complicated or expensive apparatus, such as a milling machine. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to fulfill these needs by providing a simple, inexpensive apparatus which allows expedient manufacture of a precise dovetail mortise and tenon joint using common woodworking tools.